Saline Residents Divided on Removing or Repairing Dam

Saline residents packed a town hall meeting Monday night, Mar. 9, to debate the future of the city’s aging dam, with speakers split between preserving a historic landmark and removing a structure officials say could become increasingly costly to maintain.

City officials and consultants presented findings comparing the cost of repairing the Saline River dam with removing it entirely. Much of the meeting was devoted to public comment, where residents questioned the city’s estimates, raised environmental concerns and defended the dam’s historic significance.

City engineer Tesha Humphriss explained how the dam, originally built in 1935, requires manual operation during storms and carries growing maintenance obligations for the city as the structure deteriorates.

Environmental and Cost Factors

Consultants said the dam also traps sediment and disrupts the natural river system. A sediment survey found roughly 7,400 cubic yards of material has accumulated behind the structure. Environmental consultant Aaron Snell of Streamside Eco told residents dams often block fish movement and change water quality in rivers. “The consensus among experts is that dams are detrimental to ecosystems,” Snell said.

Consultant Kevin Wilks of Spicer Group said the city’s cost analysis shows a clear difference between the two options over time. According to Wilks, repairing and maintaining the dam would cost an estimated $7.8 million to $10.2 million over 50 years, largely because of ongoing inspections, equipment replacement, shoreline stabilization and about $68,000 in annual operations and maintenance costs.

By comparison, removing the dam would require a higher upfront investment, estimated at $3.8 million to $5 million over the first five years, but total costs over 50 years were projected at $5.8 million to $6.9 million, including mill race repairs and ongoing park maintenance. Wilks said the analysis suggests that while repairing the dam is less expensive in the near term, the cumulative costs of maintaining the structure eventually exceed the cost of removal.

Historic Mill Owner Urges Preservation

Among the strongest arguments for preservation comes from Wendy Weller, owner of Weller’s Inc., the refurbished historic mill building adjacent to the dam that now operates as an event venue.

In comments outside of the meeting, Weller said the dam cannot be separated from the historic milling system that shaped Saline’s development. “These original industrial dam systems cannot be viewed as one single structure, but a complete and complex water-powered milling system,” Weller said.

The dam, mill pond, mill and tailrace together form a rare industrial complex dating to the 1800s that is listed as part of a 13-acre National Historic District, she explained. “If one part of the system is removed, the entire system is lost,” Weller said.

She argued removing the dam would permanently alter the landscape and erase an important piece of Saline’s identity. “The dam, mill pond, mill and tailrace have helped shape the beauty of Saline and how it is perceived by outsiders,” Weller said. “Many come just to see it.”

Weller also warned that removing the dam could lead to unpredictable environmental and financial outcomes. “No matter what renderings and studies you do… no one really knows what will happen if we start tearing out these decades-old structures,” she said.

Residents Question Assumptions

Many residents questioned the assumptions behind the city’s projections. One speaker pointed out that inflation was not included in the analysis and argued the cost of restoring Mill Pond Park after dam removal may be underestimated.

“There was nothing on the maintenance and getting the park to the state that it is a park again after,” the resident said. “That is going to cost a lot of money… and there will be years of maintenance.”

The resident also warned the current impoundment provides habitat for wildlife.

“There are species there… turtles, snakes that are endangered that area,” the speaker said, citing research suggesting the pond supports reproduction and habitat for several species.

Other residents focused on long-term costs to taxpayers.

“I fully support removing the dam, because I’m looking at the cost over time,” one resident said. “Nine thousand people live in Saline, and it’s very expensive, and I just don’t know how we could maintain that and keep it in good repair.”

But some residents pushed back on the cost analysis itself. “I see a lot of words like estimate, potential, assumption,” one speaker said. “There’s no hard numbers for people to make a decision on.”

Others emphasized the dam’s value as a community landmark. “That pond could be a fishing place for kids, so that they’re not on their damn phones. Teach them how to fish, how to do things. Make it a real pond. Fix the dam…It adds to the city’s beauty.”

The same speaker suggested the city should delay action until other infrastructure concerns are addressed, referring to the city’s water system.

Not a Quick Process

City officials said the next steps include additional review of engineering conditions, consultation with state regulators and continued public input before a recommendation is brought to the Saline City Council. Any decision on repairing or removing the dam would also require permitting and potential funding applications, a process officials said could take several years before any change could begin.

A recording of the March 9 meeting is available on the City of Saline website.

Photo: Residents fill the Saline City Council chambers during a March 9 town hall meeting where city officials and consultants presented cost analyses for repairing or removing the Saline River dam, with strong public comment from residents. Image: city video screenshot